TODAY’S PROPHETIC THOUGHT
I love to provide for you. You know I am good and enjoy meeting your needs. However, I have better for you. How I long to prosper you. Will you let Me? Bring My power into your wilderness and watch me keep My promises.
DEPENDENCE VS. PARTNERSHIP
There’s a big difference between wilderness and Promised Land living. There is actually a lesson you have to learn in the wilderness in order to be qualified to go into the Promised Land.
The lesson of the wilderness is one of dependency while the lesson of the Promised Land is one of partnership.
Let’s talk about your wilderness. What you learn in the wilderness is this: “Whatever your problem is, God is NOT your problem.” You learn all about dependency. God feeds you, He clothes you and He blesses you in the wilderness – just like any good daddy would do for his kiddos.
The wilderness is a world where everything is wrong, but God makes it right. This is where you learn a very important principle: Don’t bail on God. Ever. If you bail, you’ll stay there and that’s not what you want. You should leave your wilderness saying, “I never will bail on God again as long as I live.”
Then when you get ready to cross your “Jordan River” and enter your “Promised Land,” the lesson of dependency is ingrained. You don’t have to think about it because you’re focusing on taking walled cities, defeating evil kings and beheading your giants.
This is what you learn in the Promised Land: “Hey, I’m going to partner with Him now, in everything.” You’re going to consider the Kingdom in absolutely every single thing that you do for the rest of your life.
Your job and finances? Partner with God for success. Your marriage, children and home? Bring the Lord into them. Invite Him into everything – your relationships, ministry, entertainment – even your addictions and fallen places. There is no place your Heavenly Father would rather be than in the middle of these things with you.
Have you learned your lesson?
This law scroll must not leave your lips! You must memorize it day and night so you can carefully obey all that is written in it. Then you will prosper and be successful. I repeat, be strong and brave! Don’t be afraid and don’t panic, for I, the Lord your God, am with you in all you do.” – Joshua 1:8-9
From my sermon series MILK AND HONEY